Don Kelly hits a game winning sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for the Tigers. / Rick Osentoski, US PRESSWIRE

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

Tigers 5, Athletics 4: The Tigers now find themselves in a dominant position, leading the Series 2 games to 0, needing to win only one more game in Oakland to advance to the American League Championship Series.

State of the Series: The Tigers don't have this series wrapped up, but they are in great shape. The Athletics played them tough the first two games, and certainly didn't show any signs of nervousness, despite having 12 rookies on their roster. Now, they just have to win one of their next three games, in Oakland, knowing that defending Cy Young winner Justin Verlander is lined up for Game 5, if necessary.

Game 2 Pivot Point: Athletics center fielder Coco Crisp made a two-run, two-out error in the seventh that may attributed greatly to the Athletics' loss. Crisp was playing so deep on Miguel Cabrera, charged in so quickly on a routine fly ball that it bounced off his glove trying to make a basket catch. The error turned a 2-1 Athletics' lead to a 3-2 deficit.

Man of the Moment: Don Kelly, who scored the game-tying run in the eighth inning on a wild pitch, delivered the game-winner in the ninth with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Needing a mulligan: Right fielder Josh Reddick, missing in action with six strikeouts in seven plate appearances, hit what loomed as a game-winning homer in the eighth inning off Joaquin Benoit. The Athletics can't survive if Reddick continues to strike out at this pace.

What you missed on TV: Well, everything if you don't get MLB Network in your home. Actually, if you did get the game on TV, Coco Crisp had to run an awful long ways to get to the ball that he botched.

"Unsung Hero: Athletics starter Tommy Milone was fabulous in his postseason debut, giving up just five hits and one run in six innings, shutting down the Tigers' vaunted offense. Milone, who was just 6-6 with a 4.83 ERA on the road this season, certainly pitched well enough to pick up the victory.

Manager's special: Tigers manager Jim Leyland decided to trust struggling Joaquin Benoit with a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning. It badly backfired. Benoit gave up a leadoff single to Yoenis Cespedes, watched him steal second and third, and then threw a wild pitch to tie the game. And then for an encore gave up a home run to Josh Reddick. It was the 14th homer Benoit has given up since June 30, and the 10th since the All-Star break, the most in baseball.

Glove story: Tigers rookie right fielder Avisail Garcia gunned down Coco Crisp at the plate in the third inning, ending a potential monster inning for the Athletics, who had to settle for just one run. If not for Garcia's play, the Athletics would have had two runs in, and runners on second and third with just one out.